Etiquette of Eating: Sunnah of Eating from the Sides of the Dish
Author: Imran Ayyub Lahori
❶ Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
البركة تنزل فى وسط الطعام فكلوا من حافتيه ولا تاكلوا من وسطه
"Blessing descends in the middle of the food, so eat from its sides and do not eat from its middle."
Hasan: Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl: 1980; Tirmidhi: 1805; Ibn Mājah: 3277; Ahmad: 1/270; Dārimī: 2/100; Ibn Ḥibbān: 5245
❷ ʿAbdullāh ibn Busur (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
كلوا من جوانبها ودعوا ذروتها يبارك فيها
"Eat from its sides and leave the top (middle) portion, for blessing is placed in it."
Sahih: Sahih al-Targhīb: 2122; Abu Dawood: 3773; Ibn Mājah: 3263
❸ In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
إذا أكل أحدكم طعاما فلا ياكل من أعلى الصحفة ولكن ليأكل من أسفلها فإن البركة تنزل من أعلاها
"When one of you eats, let him not eat from the top (middle) of the dish, but let him eat from the lower part (near him), for blessing descends from its top."
Sahih: al-Silsilah al-Sahihah: 2040; Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl: 1980; Sahih al-Targhīb: 2123; Abu Dawood: 3772
❹ ʿUmar ibn Abī Salamah (RA) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said to me:
كل بيمينك وكل مما يليك
"Eat with your right hand, and eat from what is in front of you."
Bukhari: 5376; Muslim: 2022; Muwaṭṭaʾ: 2/934; Abu Dawood: 3777; Tirmidhi: 1857; Ibn Mājah: 3267; Ahmad: 4/26
Author: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Eat from the Sides of the Dish, Not the Middle — and From What is Near to You
❶ Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
البركة تنزل فى وسط الطعام فكلوا من حافتيه ولا تاكلوا من وسطه
"Blessing descends in the middle of the food, so eat from its sides and do not eat from its middle."
Hasan: Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl: 1980; Tirmidhi: 1805; Ibn Mājah: 3277; Ahmad: 1/270; Dārimī: 2/100; Ibn Ḥibbān: 5245❷ ʿAbdullāh ibn Busur (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
كلوا من جوانبها ودعوا ذروتها يبارك فيها
"Eat from its sides and leave the top (middle) portion, for blessing is placed in it."
Sahih: Sahih al-Targhīb: 2122; Abu Dawood: 3773; Ibn Mājah: 3263❸ In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
إذا أكل أحدكم طعاما فلا ياكل من أعلى الصحفة ولكن ليأكل من أسفلها فإن البركة تنزل من أعلاها
"When one of you eats, let him not eat from the top (middle) of the dish, but let him eat from the lower part (near him), for blessing descends from its top."
Sahih: al-Silsilah al-Sahihah: 2040; Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl: 1980; Sahih al-Targhīb: 2123; Abu Dawood: 3772❹ ʿUmar ibn Abī Salamah (RA) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said to me:
كل بيمينك وكل مما يليك
"Eat with your right hand, and eat from what is in front of you."
Bukhari: 5376; Muslim: 2022; Muwaṭṭaʾ: 2/934; Abu Dawood: 3777; Tirmidhi: 1857; Ibn Mājah: 3267; Ahmad: 4/26
